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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. press — newspapers
  3. object — an aim
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ball — a great time
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — in cards
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. staff — employees
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — to protest
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. suit — to fit
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a dance
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. race — a contest
  21. craft — boats
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com